Haitian orphanages with Utah ties in need

By Marc Haddock , For the Deseret News

Published: Friday, Jan. 15 2010 12:00 a.m. MST

Paul H. Cook, founder of A Child's Hope Foundation, which operates an orphanage in Timarche, about 25 miles from Port-au-Prince, said the foundation's board has been meeting to decide how to respond to the crisis.

The 200-plus orphans housed in the foundation's facility are alive and accounted for, but the country's needs are unimaginable. Currently the organization (www.achf.org) is planning to assemble care kits for the children.

"They need medicines, baby formula, diapers. They don't have any money. We will get totes for these items, put them in a container and get the container shipped," Cook said. "They need help in the worst way."

Kent White, who coordinates volunteer efforts for the foundation, said there are no plans to send volunteers to the country.

"We haven't taken volunteers down there for about three years because of safety issues — political unrest and kidnappings," he said. "And we're not planning on sending anyone right now. We'd just get in the way at this point."

White said he was referring people who want to help to one of the foundation's partners, Love A Child Inc. (www.loveachild.com), based in Tampa, Fla.

"They've been able to help us get things done. If I have confidence in anyone, it's those guys," White said.

Provo's HIT Web Design supports another Haitian orphanage, the Hope for Little Angels of Haiti, which was in the process of moving from Carrefour, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, into Port-au-Prince proper when the earthquake hit.

Brad Stone, a co-owner of the company, said about half of the 60 orphans cared for by Hope for Little Angels, those who had been moved into the city, have been accounted for, but the Provo company is still waiting to hear about those in Carrefour.

"We are hoping we will have word on all the kids within the next 24 to 48 hours. It's just hard having any communication in there," he said.

"We are the sole provider for the orphanage," White said. "Even though Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, it takes something like this for people to realize the need. This has drawn attention to a place in the world that really, really needs a lot of help … and not just water and food, but leadership."